FARAH IS A TATREEZ ARTIST, CRAFTER, POET, AND GRAPHIC DESIGNER (@artcoloredglasses). Farah shares her family roots in the village of Kur near Tulkarem, and speaks about the generational trauma caused by the 1948 Nakba, which split her family across borders. Though her great aunts were seamstresses, Farah grew up cut off from the tradition of embroidery. She shares how this generational rupture shaped her longing for cultural connection while growing up between the U.S. and the Gulf.
Farah speaks about finally learning tatreez in 2020 through online classes. It became a way to reclaim something she always felt was hers but never had access to. She weaves in memories of learning Western-style quilting from her American grandmother and describes how tatreez opened space for healing, grief, and creative expression rooted in her Palestinian identity.
Farah also shares her excitement about making—and one day spinning—her own thread. She talks about hand-dyeing, using every last scrap, and dreaming of reclaiming thread production as a cultural practice. Her approach is rooted in sustainability, honoring natural resources without waste. For her, crafting is not just personal—it’s political, ancestral, and full of possibility.
If you’re in Phoenix, connect with Farah on all things tatreez and hand-dyeing!
You’ll hear about:
>> 0:40: Farah’s connection to Palestine
>> 4:44: Family connections, growing up in the US, and visiting Palestine
>> 12:58: Beginning her tatreez journey
>> 19:26: Art Colored Glasses
>> 26:03: Exploring botanical dyeing and what Farah has learned so far
>> 37:20: The influence of exploring hand-dyeing on her tatreez practice
>> 40:26: How tatreez inspires finding community
>> 48:42: What’s next for Farah’s tatreez journey
>> 52:15: Major life lessons from tatreez
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Links Mentioned
>> Find Farah at her website Art Colored Glasses
>> Find Farah’s graphic design work with Bahja Brands (website, IG)
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